For the first time in history a significant number of kids have been spared the basic hardships in life.  A large number of parents having gone through tough times, worrying about the basics of food, shelter and surviving are now able to spare their children the seemingly unpleasant experience.  Funny how these same parents often refer to their time of struggle as “The good old days”.  Could there well meaning intentions toward their kids be taking away a primitive programed response in our brains for happiness?  On an evolutionary scale, rapid advances in technology have happened in the blink of an eye.  How are we adapting to the modern world with instincts and drives from a way of life we no longer live?

Every animal on earth is preprogramed at birth for survival. Instinct as it’s referred to drives species to reproduce, birds to fly south in the winter, or a spider to spin a web.  Some tasks may be difficult, like salmon swimming upstream to spawn.  So why do they do it?  Could there be a reaction in the brain that gives peace and reduces anxiety when an instinctual task is completed?

What happens to the mental state of animals when they are taken out of their natural environment?  A salmon without a river, or a sea turtle hatching with no water around?  What about a cave man in the 21st century?

As much as us humans consider ourselves above animals, we also have instincts.  Some are obvious such as sex drive, a new born babies need to suck, fear of death, or to care for our young, but how many more aren’t obvious and no longer needed here in the 21st century.  How are we satisfying the drives from obsolete survival instincts that have been in place since the beginning of our species?  Could the need for some of us to build a bank account, collect things and some times hoard be satisfying an ancient instinct to collect food?  Could our need to impress others be an ancient instinct to assert ourselves in some kind of an ancient pecking order or group acceptance for survival?

These days the closest thing to the old ways of life can only be found in some small country towns and farms.  Turn on any Country music radio station and it won’t be long before you hear a song that speaks of the satisfaction and true happiness found from living life close to the basics, with hard work and tough times.

Depression, suicide, and unhappiness are on the rise in the developed world.  Could the reason for the increase be that we can no longer satisfy some preprogramed instincts?  Will we eventually evolve past these unneeded primitive drives?  How long will it take?

Only by studying the behavior of ancient man will we have a good understanding of our true original instincts.  Once understood, we can apply it to our search for happiness and understand some of our behaviors today.

Who knows, part of being happy may end up needing a constant meaningful challenge.  Like “chasing a carrot on a stick”, always just out of reach and never meant to be caught.

Dave Lister

listerlogic.com